The present invention is directed to bicycles and, more particularly, to a bicycle shift operating device with a multi-direction operating member.
Most bicycles include a transmission that allows the bicycle to be pedaled at a desired gear ratio. A shift control device mounted to the handlebars and connected to the transmission by a cable often controls the transmission by pulling and releasing the cable. The shift control device typically includes a winding member that pulls (winds) and releases (unwinds) the cable, a winding lever that causes the winding member to pull the control cable, and a release lever that causes the winding member to release the cable. Some shift control devices operate by moving the winding and release levers in the same direction (e.g., Japanese Patent No. 2730555), usually by pushing each lever using the thumb, whereas other shift control devices operate by moving the winding and release levers in opposite directions (e.g., Japanese Patent No. 3065656), usually by pushing the winding lever with the thumb and by pulling the release lever with the index finger. However, some riders may prefer to operate a particular lever in a direction opposite the conventionally designed direction in order to either pull or release the cable.
Some shift control devices have the further ability to pull or release the cable to shift through multiple gear ratios for a single operation of the winding and/or release lever. An example of a shift control device that releases the cable to shift through multiple gear ratios for a single operation of a release lever is shown in Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2004-231176. That shift control device is mounted together with a brake lever assembly for a road racing bicycle. More specifically, a brake lever pivots around a brake lever pivot shaft, and a shift control unit pivot shaft is provided for rotatably supporting elements of the shift control device. The shift control unit pivot shaft is oriented differently from the brake lever pivot shaft. A cable coupling member is rotatably supported by the shift control unit pivot shaft for moving a shift control cable in a cable pulling direction and a cable releasing direction, and a positioning unit selectively maintains the cable coupling member in a plurality of operating positions. The positioning unit includes a toothed member that rotates integrally with the cable coupling member, and a positioning pawl selectively engages the toothed member to maintain the cable coupling member in the plurality of operating positions. A release lever rotates a release wheel having a plurality of release teeth such that multiple release teeth sequentially contact the positioning pawl for a single operation of the release lever. This causes the positioning pawl to oscillate and thereby allow the cable coupling member to move in the cable releasing direction through a plurality of operating positions.